According to reports from Manchester Evening News, Barcelona have informed Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United they will have to pay a world-record transfer fee to sign unsung midfielder Sergio Busquets.
The Spain international rarely grabs the headlines but has been one of the driving forces behind the Catalan’s sustained success over the last decade.
Indeed, during his 380 first-team appearances for Barcelona, the defensive midfielder has lifted five La Lita titles, three Copa del Reys and three Champions League titles – the most recent coming at the end of last season.
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But Busquets is embroiled in a contract dispute at the Nou Camp, eager for his salary to be put in line with the club’s more coveted names, which has created doubts over his future ahead of the summer transfer window.
According to Manchester Evening News, Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United have all been linked or expressed an interest in signing the 27-year-old enforcer recently.
But citing reports from Mundo Deportivo, they further claim that Barcelona do not intend to sell Busquets under any circumstances – meaning the Premier League trio would have to activate his £128million buy-out clause.
The eye-watering sum would equate to a new world-record transfer fee, decimating the £86million Real Madrid paid for then-Tottenham Hotspur winger Gareth Bale back in summer 2013.